SEVENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY. 251

were brought up under guard, with their $300 or $400 each in their pockets. Some
had "jumped" the guard on the cars, quite a number vanished the first night, most of
them afterwards deserted, and a half dozen or so turned out reliable soldiers.

On the 12th of December, 1862, the Seventh returned to Williamsport, finding there
only the Eighth, the First having gone to Maryland Heights and the Fourth to Baltimore.

Cordiality of Citizens.

The feeling of the people of Western Maryland towards the soldiers was, with
very few exceptions, cordial and thoroughly sympathetic. In return, the instances of
invasion of private right on the part of the soldiers were extremely rare, they were dis-
countenanced by the men, and promptly punished when discovered.

Maryland Heights.

On the 21st of December, 1862, the Seventh and Eighth, with Alexander's Battery,
started for Maryland Heights, where the whole brigade was finally settled in winter
quarters.

West Virginia Campaign.

On the 4th of April, 1863, the Seventh crossed the river and encamped on Bolivar
Heights, and on the 27th the Seventh and Fourth were transported by rail to Oakland,
under orders which indicated a campaign in West Virginia, then much exercised by a
dashing raid under Imboden and Jones. On the morning of the 29th, the Seventh left
knapsacks behind at Oakland in charge of the Fourth, and made a forced march all that
day and most of the night across the Alleganies, the memory of which was destined to
become a standard of comparison in all future campaigns of the Seventh. For several
weeks the regiment remained in the vicinity of Rowlesburg, the several companies being
so disposed as best to guard the railroad bridge on Cheat river and the high trestles
near by.

There was practically but one sentiment among the West Virginians here—all were
zealous Unionists, and everywhere officers and men found themselves at home. Noth-
ing could be more primitive than the life of these mountaineers. The clothes they wore,
the food they ate, the beverages they drank, everything was home-made. Much use was
made of maple sugar in a variety of forms; spinning and weaving their own flax and
wool, they dyed with madder or black oak bark.

Bolivar and Maryland Heights.

On the 16th of May the West Virginia campaign was closed, the men turning their
backs with regret upon the wild freshness and romance of mountain life, and finding
their old tents on Bolivar Heights just as they had been left, guarded by the sick and
crippled.

For some days the Seventh was the only Union force on the Virginia side of the
Potomac, except a few cavalry. Guerrillas were reported in front, and the regiment
was much weakened by heavy details for picket and scout duty. On the 23d of May an
unfortunate incident occurred at an outpost on the Blue Ridge, where several demonstra-
tions had been made on the pickets of the Seventh. Lieutenant Gorrell, of Company H
(Harf ord County), was in command of this outpost of twenty men, and ventured beyond his